TOWN Hall chiefs at Warrington have agreed to sell three pieces of land for almost £1.8 million less than their market value – to enable “affordable housing” schemes to go ahead.
Most controversially, they will sell 1.33 hectares of land at the rear of Chester Road, Stockton Heath to Warrington Housing Association for a nominal £1.
Market value of the site is valued at £1.6 million – and local residents have been campaigning for it to be retained as public open space.
Stockton Heath Parish Council has also lodged objections to the scheme – which has yet to be given planning consent – on the grounds that greenfield land should not be used for development when brownfield land is available.
Originally it was hoped to build 54 homes on the site, but following consultation with more than 150 nearby households, this was reduced to 51 to provide more public open space.
The other sites are at the former Cantilver Garden Centre, Latchford, where 11 two-bed flats, two bungalows and a communal facility will be built and land at Churchill Avenue, Culcheth, were seven three-bed houses will be built.
The Latchford site – valued at £110,000 -will be acquired by the council from developers Briden Homes for £59,000 and sold to Arena Housing Association for £1.
The Culcheth site, valued at £112,000, will be sold to Arena Housing for £35,000.
Executive board members were told by selling the sites at less than valuation, the council would receive about £1,794,998 less than by selling on the open market.
But there were significant benefits to the council, both financial and in well-being.
The council would receive enhanced nomination rights for the homes and would achieve affordable housing development objectives.
If they did not go ahead with the sales there would be a significant impact on the council’s ability to provide homes for local people, secure funding of £3.7 million from the Housing Corporation and secure future, borough-wide funding from the Housing Corporation
The council will receive 100 per cent nomination rights initially and 75 per cent of relets for the next 10 years.
TOWN Hall chiefs at Warrington have agreed to sell three pieces of land
for almost £1.8 million less than their market value - to enable
"affordable housing" schemes to go ahead.
Land sold off for affordable homes
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
